Fairfax County welcomes home USA 1 urban search-and-rescue team after Venezuela earthquake deployment

David Barlow, deputy chief of special operations for the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, opened a welcome-home ceremony for members of USA 1 and their families, praising the team's rapid international response after a major earthquake in Venezuela. "Welcome home," Barlow said, thanking both deployed personnel and the families who supported them at home.

The event, attended by federal and county officials, highlighted the partnership between Fairfax County and the U.S. Department of State. Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary Daniel Diekhouse (Department of State) thanked the task force and said the United States will continue to stand with Venezuelan families affected by the quake. "That is what we aspire to continue to do in Venezuela and all around the world," Diekhouse said.

Fairfax County Board Chairman Jeff McKay, speaking on behalf of the county and its more than 1,000,000 residents, praised the team's training and preparedness and urged the community to take pride in the lives saved. "For all the people of Fairfax County, that is something that we can celebrate," McKay said.

Battalion Chief Dan Gajewski, one of USA 1's task force leaders, provided the most detailed operational recap at the ceremony. He said 54 international teams from 22 nations responded to the quake; across those teams, "391 sites" were triaged, 146 technical rescues were conducted and 14 people were pulled out alive. Gajewski said USA 1 worked 74 triage sites across 41 locations and accounted for five of those 14 live rescues, after about 186 continuous hours of operations. "Thank you so much for bringing us hope," he said, reading a message received from people on the ground in Venezuela.

Speakers and attendees emphasized both the human impact and the technical work behind the mission. Barlow, Gajewski and Assistant Fire Chief Eric Craven described the range of specialties that were required'structural engineers, technical search specialists, heavy riggers, medical personnel, hazardous materials specialists, communications and K-9 teams'and stressed that training enabled the fast response. "When disaster strikes anywhere in the world, The United States does not simply send equipment. We send experience, compassion, and hope," Barlow said.

Family members and members of the Venezuelan diaspora presented a signed flag to the team and offered public thanks. Miss Lopez, who identified herself as a spouse of a team member, introduced the family present and invited others to speak. A representative of the Venezuelan community in the Washington area thanked responders "for taking the call at the moment when we needed you" and offered the flag as a token of gratitude.

A Fairfax County resident who identified themselves as a long-time local thanked the team for training and teaching Venezuelan firefighters to use equipment. "We will never forget it," the resident said.

Barlow closed the program with instructions for returning equipment and accessing behavioral-health resources for deployed personnel, asking members of USA 1 to report to a classroom to offload gear and to avoid callbacks through Saturday. The ceremony concluded with time for attendees to mingle and for families to greet returning responders.

The ceremony did not include formal votes or policy actions; it was a recognition and operational recap of an international deployment supported by the Department of State.